Sufean Kamal, the son of notorious hate cleric Abu Hamza, is engaged in a legal battle to return to the United Kingdom, asserting that he never fought for Al-Qaeda or any extremist groups in Syria. Kamal, 31, had his British citizenship revoked after intelligence agencies indicated his involvement with jihadi factions in the Syrian conflict.
Kamal's legal team is arguing that the decision to strip him of his citizenship was unlawful. They contend that the MI5 assessment deeming him a threat to national security was inaccurate and that his human rights, particularly the right to family life, are being violated. His wife and children reside in Britain, a key factor in his legal bid. Kamal, who lawyers state denies fighting for Al-Qaeda, claims he fought alongside rebels against the Assad regime, including the Free Syrian Army, which received backing from Western nations.
The case has been heard at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, where MI5 has presented classified intelligence to a panel of judges. An MI5 operative, identified only as MT, provided testimony from behind a screen, while Kamal participated in the proceedings via video link from Syria.
Court documents indicate that Kamal traveled to Syria in April 2013, a year after his father, Abu Hamza, was extradited to the U.S. to face terrorism charges. His lawyers maintain he fought with secular forces in northern Syria and actively avoided extremist organizations, stating his intent was to "fight against terrorists, not become one."
However, by 2016, evidence reportedly emerged suggesting Kamal's involvement with jihadi groups, including the Nusra Front, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda. This led MI5 to advise then-Home Secretary Amber Rudd to revoke his citizenship. The intelligence assessment stated that Kamal's return to the UK posed a real risk of him using his Syrian experience to aid UK-based Islamist extremists.
Kamal previously attempted to return to the UK in January 2019 but was detained in Turkey for two years. Turkish intelligence interrogated him regarding his activities in Syria and attempted to deport him to Morocco, where he could claim citizenship through his mother. He currently resides in Syria.
In a court appearance last week, Kamal stated, "Taking away my citizenship has affected me and my family. I am not a terrorist." He has previously asserted, "Revoking my citizenship just because I am related to Abu Hamza is not allowed."
Abu Hamza was sentenced to life in prison without parole in the U.S. in 2014. Of his six sons, four have criminal convictions related to terrorism, armed robbery, drug dealing, fraud, and burglary, accumulating significant prison sentences. The remaining two sons have records of Islamic extremism.
